End of Us (2021 | USA | 92 minutes | Steven Kanter, Henry Loevner)
Leah and Nick are at the end of their rope. Nick is a starving actor relying on the steady income and stability that Leah adds to his life. She’s just about ready to cut the cord on him and the relationship when the pandemic hits and they’re literally stuck with each other. Even in the early days of COVID, the fear and intensity of the moment didn’t seem to distract from the frustration of being with someone they couldn’t stand and we’re taken along for the ride. They traverse the murky waters of isolation and uncertainty in a bubble of their own drama where both of them make questionable decisions, but seem to find a way to accept the humanity in one another.
The realness of the moment, how they depicted what it was like living through the pandemic that, let’s face it, hasn’t even petered off yet, was almost too much. It brought up a lot of sharp emotions for me despite the comedic air that surrounded every scene. From the stills playfully filling the screen during the credit roll, the crew was making light of creating a film through such an interesting time. I wonder if we’ll all look back at moments like this with a “what the hell were we thinking?” mindset or more like “that was crazy! I can’t believe we made a movie”. Either way, this film took a moment in history that we can all relate to (whether we were with partners through it or not) and gives us something to laugh about later.
I enjoyed the characters and the writing quite a bit; the emotional toll it took on me only speaks to how well the script explored the human condition in such a nutty time. So take that as you will and if you’re in the mood for a not-so-romantic break-up comedy that may or may not make you feel better about a virus robbing us of the last couple years then this one is a great film to land on.
End of Us is in theaters now with a digital release 12/7